Looking for practical Acholi to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Swahili.
Tip: read the Swahili line out loud three times, then cover the Acholi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Swahili translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Ayo
Habari(ah-yo)
Naki
Asante(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Habari ya asubuhi(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Habari ya mchana(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Habari ya jioni(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Usiku mwema(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Tutaonana baadaye(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Kwaheri(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
Jina lako nani?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Jina langu ni John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
Habari gani?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Nye neno.
Sielewi.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Choo kiko wapi?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Konyo kuc.
Geuka kushoto.
Konyo kuc.
Geuka kulia.
Tye kanyim.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
One ticket, please.
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Nye konyo.
Nimepotea.
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ndio
Bila
Hapana
Kweyo
Pengine
Ng'ato konyo
Ninakubaliana
Ng'ato konyo ni
Sikubaliani
Okwero kany
Inasikika vizuri
Ika kany?
Unafikiriaje?
Ikwok kany?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Nahitaji msaada
Tye kany
Subiri kidogo
Ng'ato konyo
Ninasikitika
Bila kany
Hakuna shida
Tye kany
Hongera
Aye konyo
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(Atye kany kwo?)
Atye kany bura?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?(Atye kany bura?)
Kati onyo kwo?
Ni jukwaa gani?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Nye kwo nongo?
Inatoka saa ngapi?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Kik kwo gwen?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Okwang kany ici
Iko karibu hapa(Okwang kany ici)
Okwang kany piny
Iko mbali na hapa(Okwang kany piny)
Nye konyo i map?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?(Nye konyo i map?)
Doko ici, pe?
Simama hapa, tafadhali(Doko ici, pe?)
Nye kwo ngat?
Inachukua muda gani?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(Nye keken me?)
Okwero keken
Hiyo ni ghali sana(Okwero keken)
Itye keken me?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?(Itye keken me?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kaka, nyinga
Tafadhali, bili(Kaka, nyinga)
Kati kany me?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?(Kati kany me?)
Nye konyo wot
Mimi ni mboga(Nye konyo wot)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iti kany
Hii ni tamu(Iti kany)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Naweza kupata menyu?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Piga simu polisi
Yat ma ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Nye konyo doctor
Nahitaji daktari
Nye konyo wot
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Nye konyo kany kic
Nina mzio wa karanga
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Okwero ineno
Inaniuma hapa
Nye tye konyo passport
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Yat!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Nafurahi kukutana nawe(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
Tuweke mkutano(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Nitaituma ripoti leo(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Asante kwa muda wako(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
Nitarudi kwako(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.